In Moments
by Like Weiss on Rice
Summary: A collection of moments in Weiss and Nero’s lives before and after tragedy strikes. Restrictor decides to punish Weiss and ruin him once and for all. There are 5 chapters in all. They will be posted when I am finished editing.


Of Betrayal and Reconciliation

Like Weiss on Rice

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Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all of its characters are © Square Enix and whoever else owns them if any. Opening lyrics are from the song "Tragedy" from the Bee Gees – but I was listening to Celldweller's version of it when I wrote this.

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_Here I lie  
In a lost and lonely part of town  
Held in time  
In a world of tears I slowly drown  
Goin' home  
I just cant take it all alone  
I really should be holding you  
Holding you  
Loving you loving you_

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Nero looked at Weiss longingly, wondering if he would just look into his eyes at this moment, if he would see the adoration he felt for him. It was there, he knew, every time he looked at him. Look at me Weiss, he thought. Look at me before I lose my nerve. But he never did. He was too busy reveling in his own thoughts… and so his eyes clouded over again, hiding how he suffered.

"Blackbird…" Weiss smiled at him a little too late, a pet name he had given him a long time ago when they were children. "I'm getting hungry… want me to make us something to eat?"

"Yes." He answered.

Weiss smiled in that brilliant way of his, it made his heart jump. It made him feel hope. "Good. Let's go then." He grabbed his cheek and pinched it, because he knew he hated it. "Growing boys have got to eat." Weiss couldn't remember where he heard it, but felt it would be kind of neat to say it now.

Nero watched as Weiss walked out of the room. He still saw him as a child apparently. All he wanted from Weiss was for him to look at him as a man.

"Nero?" Weiss popped his head back into the room. "You coming?"

"Yes, sorry." Nero shook his head.

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Weiss bowed his head every so slightly to the dark man in front of him. "Hello!" He said a little too loudly.

"Say hello Restrictor-sama." His mother prompted him.

"Hello Restrictor-sama!"

His mother's lips wrinkled a bit at his loudness, "Inside voices."

"Inside voices." Weiss repeated, a little quieter than before.

Leda didn't want to relinquish her child to this man, but she had no other choice in the matter. The best thing she could do for her son now was to pretend like everything was alright and make him comfortable. "You'll be spending time with this man from now on."

Weiss looked at him and moved behind his mother's legs. "But, he's scary." He couldn't even see his face.

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Restrictor felt a little hand wrap around his pinky finger. He looked down at the boy, just shy of amused before he pulled his hand away.

"Are you my new dad?"

"Of course not you little idiot."

"My mama said it wasn't nice to say stuff like that."

"Boy, your mother is a talking uterus."

Weiss only laughed, thinking the word sounded funny. "I'm going to have a little brother."

"So you've said about fifty fucking times." He often refrained from cursing too much, his father and mother said it made him sound crude. There was something about this boy just struck a nerve though.

"What's fucking?"

"It's what your mother did to have you."

Weiss just nodded, not sure what he meant but didn't want to ask anything further. He had been so used to someone else who wore a cloak… he never minded if he held onto it before. Restrictor did, he didn't seem to want anything to do with him. "My brother let me hold onto his cape."

"I'm not your brother."

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Weiss looked at the door, it was appropriately numbered. He felt some small rush of excitement. It had taken some trying, but he managed to find the location of the key to this very place he wanted to go into so badly. He had to stand on his toes but he managed to get the key into the door. He couldn't wait until he could reach the door easily though… the doctor said he would get really tall when he was older, but he was a 'late bloomer' whatever that meant.

Nero heard a key being shoved into the lock in the door. His heart started thudding wildly in his chest. Were they going to feed him finally?

"Hello?" A small voice called out. It didn't belong to an adult so he was able to relax just a little. "Nero?"

Apparently he knew his name even though they have never been introduced. "Yes?"

Weiss's head turned up and saw a small huddled figure in the corner. She was probably the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his young life… even prettier than Rosso or Argento. He suddenly felt awkward. "Sorry, I think I have the wrong room. I didn't know a girl was staying here."

Nero huffed. "I am NOT a girl!"

Weiss remembered saying something like that once. "Really?"

Nero just glared at him.

"Sorry… geeze…" Weiss stuck his tongue out at him. "So you're Nero?"

"Yes!" Nero chirped.

"My name is Weiss."

Nero sighed, he was never going to remember that name! Of course, the room was pretty dark, he could see very well… but the world took on a bluish violet hue when he saw through the dark. He couldn't tell exact colors with this unnatural light. Was his hair white? Maybe that's why.

"It means white." Weiss informed.

"I know what Weiss means." Nero muttered, he had been through language training. He was only eight and he knew how to speak six different languages fluently. They loved hooking him up to machines or playing things in his ears… although he had no idea why. Maybe they did it to keep him from going insane with boredom.

"And your name means black right?"

"Yes." He said in his proper sort of way. The white haired boy broke out into a big smile. He almost couldn't stop the smile that was threatening to form on his own mouth from the force of it.

Weiss was so excited that he almost forgot! "I brought some food." He produced from his back pocket a couple of small packages in his hands. Crackers and bread. That's all he could hide on his person… and he crushed bread when Restrictor told him to sit down at one point. He felt bad about his measly offerings. Restrictor at least didn't mind that he took water with him.

Nero perked up at that, but he still couldn't summon the strength to stand.

"Are you okay?" Weiss wondered, finally walking up to him.

"No, not really."

Weiss looked down and away from him bashfully. "I read on the report thingy that they didn't feed you a lot."

They don't feed me at all! He wanted to wail.

"Want me to feed you?" Weiss asked suddenly, only just realizing that Nero's arms were bound up.

"Yes." He nodded, as if that was all the incentive he needed the boy walked up to him and almost sat on him. Every time Nero tried to squirm away the boy just moved closer to him, looking just a little confused as to why he wouldn't want him to be right next to him. This white haired boy broke open the packages and started pushing food into his mouth. He gave him the crackers first then some water that he drank deeply. When he fed him the bread he accidentally bit him.

"Hey! That's my finger!" Weiss yelped.

"Sorry." His blood tasted sweet at least.

Weiss seemed slightly unnerved by the way his brother licked his lips but kept offering him food anyway. He never imagined he would feel this good again. Not since his mother died all those years ago… and when he thought that Nero had was gone too. He was really stupid to believe them. If he hadn't listened he wouldn't have been so miserable. When he finished he smiled. "Do you feel better?" He asked hopefully.

It quelled Nero's hunger pangs somewhat, but he wasn't about to complain. "A little." And suddenly an idea struck him. If he could get this boy to take off these restraints... He seemed gullible enough to not know why he was in this suit to begin with. "Could you take this off?" He shifted uncomfortably in his straitjacket.

"Okay." Weiss said instantly.

Nero tried to keep a wicked smile from erupting across his face. This was it. After he was freed he was going to kill this boy and get out of here. He wasn't going to let anything stand in his way.

His older brother, unknown to him at the time, wasn't very gentle with his clothing, a buckle went whizzing dangerously past his cheek. He never suspected a thing even as he lifted the stifling garment over his brother's head.

Weiss gasped when he lowered the dark article of clothing down, and saw nothing but blackness. He looked everywhere, but there was nothing. "Nero?" He called cautiously. He could see his own body still, could see the straitjacket… it was as if the room had went dark suddenly. "Nero?" He called a little louder. He clutched his brother's shirt into his chest and walked ahead cautiously. The ground was as uneven as it was invisible to him.

He stopped for a moment, torn between moving forward and running the risk of falling or staying put until someone found him. He felt lonely here and he wanted to find his way out. There was something about this place that made him remember everything bad that happened to him…

Nero watched in the shadows as the white figure of Weiss stood out. He was bathed in an odd sort of light, maybe he even radiated it. He felt something close to infuriated that this boy wasn't completely absorbed into him, but standing there as if nothing was wrong at all!

Upon closer inspection he realized that his darkness did have some effect on him. He was crying, his voice echoing as if he were in a cavern. He pulled the boys thoughts to him, wondering what this victim was thinking before he killed him.

And he found, that he wasn't crying for himself as many others did. He was crying for him… Nero. He didn't understand. Usually knowing how miserable people were gave him such pleasure, because of all the suffering that was wrought upon him. He felt that it was wrong somehow now that he thought of it.

He curiously delved into his feelings and memories… they almost mirrored his own. A sad and lonely existence followed by dashed bursts of joy that somehow involved him. He felt his emotions fluctuate along with this boy's. His overwhelming joy when they met a few minutes ago and his crushing sadness when he saw how he was mistreated. Why? Why would he feel that way about someone he never met before? No one ever thought this way about him. Then he realized that his darkness was finally getting to the lad, his light going out as he gave into his anguish… he lost Nero… and he would never see him again…

"I'm sorry!" Nero said at once, breaking himself out of his trance. "I'm sorry!" Weiss seemed to hear him and brighten in this dark place. Nero went to him then, he had never felt badly for anyone in his life, never felt any guilt when he drew someone into the abyss… but he felt it now. He knew, for some odd and unexplained reason that this boy loved him with every part of him, with his very soul. He couldn't kill him.

"Nero." His soft voice called out.

Nero couldn't even remember his name even though he told him it just a few minutes ago… but he seemed to know his so well. He felt something akin to ashamed.

With his conflicted look Weiss only said. "Weiss."

"Weiss!" He repeated, trying to dedicate it to memory, but knew he would fail the next time he saw him. "I'm sorry."

Weiss was shaken somewhat but he nodded. "I know."

"I'm sorry." He couldn't say it enough. Weiss' arms went around his small frame then, and held him gently. No one had ever done that to him in his life… it felt… nice. He brought his own shaky hands up and hugged him, the older boy's arms constricted around him that much tighter. His darkness fell away then, leaving them in that wretched room he was confined in all his life.

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And he never hated him for it either, never brought it up once. That was how Weiss was… forgive and forget. He also felt some guilt when he thought him an absolute moron when they met. He was just brighter and sunnier than himself. He was bursting with energy and light and he was smart and strong at the same time. It was just the relief of finding another child to play with… being able to act like a child himself that got Weiss being so immature at first… he grew out of it eventually. They were both decently serious now. That was until they were alone and they felt they could play around again.

Nero realized at one point that they evened each other out. He was something of a 'tightwad' (as Weiss would say) when he was younger and Weiss got him to 'loosen up' a bit… well… a lot. He was not without his positive influences as well. Weiss had gained some of his stoniness from him.

'You could say… it is like we were made for each other.' Nero thought to himself, looking at the back of his brother's head. But he knew somehow that they could never be together really. Maybe if they weren't related…

He had always loved Weiss. Maybe as a friend at first, then a brother but after that day he touched him... he loved him in his own way. His brother had a way of making him feel charged when he was around. When he touched him there was some overwhelming sexual urge that coursed through him that he could just barely contain himself.

He loved those brief little touches that they shared. When Weiss picked him up and squeezed him in a bear hug or the motherly way he kissed his cheek or temple before they set out for the day… even the simple gesture of touching his shoulder… he loved it all.

Weiss wasn't sitting on his throne today. He was sitting next to a mako pool that edged his chair. He stared out listlessly and seemed to be blissfully unaware of Nero's presence. He knew better though. "Hey." Weiss greeted when Nero said nothing.

"Hello brother." Nero said in his fashion, waiting for his signal.

"Come over here and sit with me." Weiss pat the space beside him, a soft tap on the stonework echoed.

Nero went to him, sitting down with his feet curled under him. Even so his wings scraped against the ground. He had to spread them out a bit, and couldn't sit nearly as close to Weiss as he would have liked. His brother's eyes were trailing up with the flecks of mako. It was almost like fire in a way. The embers would spring up and die off after a certain point and Weiss would find another to watch.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Weiss muttered in his strong voice. "I've seen pictures of fireflies before. I think this is what they look like."

Nero smiled, his brother was so delightfully cute sometimes. It was weird using that word to describe someone like Weiss. Especially since Nero was younger and shorter than him. He was though. His brother was a boy in a man's body.

He was masculine though, a nice handsome face and a strong physique to match. He had a healthy appreciation for beautiful things as well. This was why Nero was so happy he had such feminine features. His brother teased him about it when they were younger, saying he looked like a girl. He didn't do it so much anymore. "It is beautiful." He agreed.

"I've been thinking Nero…" Weiss went on, sounding just a little sad. "You know when we were boys?"

He never forgot anything about Weiss. "How could I forget?"

"Well, what I meant was… when I made you promise to stay?" Here in this hellhole that he himself would have fled from long ago if he had the chance.

"Yes," Nero was worried about what he might say.

Weiss seemed a bit distracted today. "I wanted to apologize to you."

"Whatever for?" Nero frowned.

"I've not been a good older brother to you."

He wanted to burst out laughing at that. "That's not true." Nero shook his head.

"But it is." He went on even though Nero looked like he might interrupt him. "I could have let you go. I could have told you to leave. You could have been happy, I know you could have. I've just been… selfish." His golden blue eyes flicked downward into the glowing abyss. There was some part of him, somewhere that made him think that Nero and he could be together… but after what he had heard. Heh, how stupid he had been. Of course he wouldn't have been interested in him. They were brothers. He wasn't interested in boys like him either from the company he kept. They were all smaller and beautiful like Nero, not rough and larger like him. He didn't think he looked bad or ugly by any means, but still…

He thought for a while that he might have been interested in his type with as pretty as he was. He used to bug him about his beauty along with his feminine mannerisms. He didn't have the heart to tease him about it anymore… as that was a part of him he loved so.

"You are not selfish." Nero admonished. "I would not have left anyway… even if you tried to make me." He gave his big brother a grin and poked his arm.

"I'm pretty persuasive." Weiss teased, feeling just a hint lighter. He knuckled his shoulder lightly as if to demonstrate a blow.

Nero rubbed where he struck, it didn't hurt but he made a show of it anyway. "Not as persuasive as Restrictor."

"You've got me there." Weiss chuckled. Really, Nero never had to worry about the stupid man. He could hide if he wanted to… but he chose to remain out in the open so he could be with him. That always gave him a pleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. Even though he really didn't wish for his brother to come to harm.

I love you Weiss. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to admit his feelings. It was romantic and all that. Nero looked at him for a moment, but he wouldn't look back at him. What would he do if Weiss just stared back at him for once? God… wouldn't it be grand if he knew how he felt? He couldn't do that though. Who knew how Weiss might react? He knew Weiss loved him like a brother but he was secretly afraid of being rebuked… or worse… snapped in two like a twig. He almost tittered a bit at that, he almost saw a cartoonish version of himself in his mind's eye with Weiss breaking him like a stick over his knee.

"What's so funny?" Weiss looked at him with a big smile.

"Oh nothing… I was just thinking of something strange." He rolled his shoulders a bit.

He let it drop in favor of indulging himself in something distracting. "Shoulders stiff?" Weiss questioned.

'Hah… a little but something else is getting stiff just looking at you Weiss.' His fingers itched to just bury themselves in that platinum hair and give him a kiss that would send his toes curling. If anything, he knew what Weiss needed. A nice lover that could take over in the sack and just let him sit back for a while. He was always doing things, always taking care of Nero in his own way. He was always training, always playing the leader. He deserved a little break… and Nero would give it to him. If he just had to the courage to admit how he felt that was.

He knew Weiss though, he would think he needed to please him if they ever came together. He couldn't wait to blow his mind. Not that he minded being on the bottom either… he could definitely go for that sometimes. Switching roles every so often was all a part of being in a relationship. However, in this dance he would definitely want to play the leader. He was sure Weiss wouldn't mind when he realized what he had to offer him.

Besides, his brother was delightfully clueless about such things despite being older than him. He was still a virgin, he could tell by his eyes. He was sure he knew how it worked and all that, but he could definitely teach him a thing or two.

Nero snapped himself back into reality. What was that? Why was he suddenly so horny? He was fine just a minute ago. He could probably work anything his brother said into an innuendo though.

"I guess so. Not any stiffer than usual." Nero made yet another uncomfortable movement and Weiss' large fingers were placed over his right shoulder. He thumbed his back, the muscles protesting at first but easily submitted to his rough persuasion and relaxed. Oh God that felt nice.

Weiss delighted in how he leaned into his touch, he knew all those places that could make his little brother's body relax. He sifted through that long dark hair and fingered the back of his neck, willing those muscles to calm and they did. Nero's head fell forward and he laughed. "Better?"

"Oh yeah." Nero mumbled and was rewarded with another laugh from Weiss. "Would you like me to rub your back?"

"Uh," So you can touch me? Hell yes. "If you want to."

Oh goody. "I would not have offered to if I didn't." Nero moved behind him then, outside his field of vision. The only thing he could see was his spread wings. He tried to use his fingers at first, but quickly realized that Weiss was a great deal tenser than he imagined. His poor Weiss. He employed his elbows, working out the hard kinks into his back. He was still stiff though. "Relax." Nero said softly.

"Mm," Weiss grunted, willing himself to do so but failing miserably.

Nero frowned, he probably didn't even know how after so long. "Lay down, it will make it easier."

"I…" Weiss' first thought was to protest, but decided against it. "Okay." He moved back from the vast pit of mako and laid down flat on his stomach. The ground was somewhat cold, but he was used to such things.

Nero couldn't help but grin, only thanking some higher power that Weiss couldn't see it. He sat down on him, straddling his hips in a ghost of what he really wanted to do. He didn't spend too much time relishing his position before he started rubbing his elbow against his back again. Weiss groaned happily at times, others he made a weird sound he couldn't quite distinguish. It didn't sound pained, but a happy kind of noise. He rubbed his elbow into it a bit more and the noise was being stifled. "Are you alright?"

Weiss tittered a bit. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Nero smiled at that. "What's that noise you're making?"

"You're tickling me." Weiss admitted, his spiked hair turned with his head. "I'm not used to relaxing. It makes me feel funny."

Nero had to ask. "Do you want me to stop?"

Weiss shook his head slightly, his white hair only emphasizing the gesture. "No, it's okay." If anything, after admitting it he was a little more open with his laughter. He eventually calmed down as his muscles relaxed. His brother smirked. Who would have thought? Weiss the Immaculate was ticklish. Nero had already worked the kinks out of his upper and lower back and went onto his shoulders and neck. "You don't have to be so thorough." Weiss muttered. "I only rubbed your shoulders."

"I don't mind. Besides…" He leaned down and whispered into his ear. "I like doing things for you."

His warm breath was tickling his ear, he flushed and his head twitched. Some of Nero's feathery hair decided to pour forth and fall onto the skin of his back and he laughed again.

His laughter had taken on a breathy quality Nero noticed. "Does that tickle as well?" He knew this was going to be horribly naughty, but he couldn't help teasing his big brother just a little. He threw his hair forward and dragged it down Weiss' back.

Was he trying to kill him? He felt the muscles on his back twitch and jerk and with them a spasm that was threatening to course through him. Nero would never know how quickly he almost let out a moan because he jumped up suddenly and away from him.

Nero fell on his rear end rather unceremoniously. "Weiss?" Oh God, now he did it.

"It's nothing, I've got to go." Weiss spoke rather quickly and was going to step unbidden out of his throne room consequences be damned.

"Wait!" Nero held up his arm. "Don't go. I'll leave."

"You don't have to." Weiss stopped in his tracks.

"Don't be silly." Nero looked down. "This is your room… not mine. I'll go." Before Weiss could utter another word he disappeared through the floor in a dark puddle.

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Weiss was making dinner with his back to him, saying absolutely nothing. Nero folded the blanket on the couch and straitened a few things around the house. Picking up loose socks that needed to be washed and dumped them into he hamper. All of his chores were taking even longer today... mostly because he had no one to talk to. "How was your day today?" Nero piped up, hoping his brother would say something.

"It was fine." His brother said evenly and stirred the noodles in the boiling water.

Weiss wouldn't even look at him! Nero fretted away. He probably hates me! He knew he shouldn't have done that… but he did it anyway. Now Weiss was mad at him. He probably ruined their close relationship. The only thing he had to look forward to in life. Worse yet, he was the only one Weiss confided in. He imagined this was putting a strain on him. There was no longer an outlet for his stress. This was all his fault.

Weiss looked at Nero then. He seemed to be thinking deeply. Great, just great. He probably upset him. He was no better than a perverted old man. He wished he could have just controlled himself better. It's not like Nero had meant anything by it anyway. He was just messing around like he always had. It was just a weird way of doing it… that turned him on. He had to get away from him least he start making all kind of weird noises that bespoke what a pervert he really was. Nero would no doubt be disgusted with him if he knew. "I'm sorry." Weiss started and Nero looked at him hopefully. "I didn't mean to act that way… you just startled me."

"No, I'm sorry." Nero turned around and dropped all of the discarded clothes he just picked up onto the floor and went to him. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

Weiss wanted with all his heart to say he really hadn't. That he just wanted him to continue, but he couldn't. It was something he would have to keep locked inside forever. He could live without a romantic relationship as long as they were together like this. "It's okay."

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Author's Notes:

This story was originally posted on adultfanfiction. I am going through the painstaking process of editing the crud out of my stories so I can post them here as well. If you would like to read the dirtier versions (or simply do not want to wait for me to edit this story) all five chapters are already posted. You can click on my penname and there is a link to my adultfanfiction page. If you want to read the clean version – give me a little while and I'll have it edited down and posted here soon.

If you are wondering who Restrictor-sama is – he is a character that controlled Deep Ground that only appeared in the Japanese version of DoC when they went into the DG side of things. (You get to play the bad guys!) But unfortunately we just got missions… (grumble). BUT we can still see them on YouTube. Just search Nero and Weiss and I believe all 13(?) events are posted under Dirge of Cerberus: Online Events.

Please… PLEASE review. If not here then please on adultfanfiction. It would help me a whole bunch if people told me what they liked and didn't like about my work so I can get better. Even if it's a simple comment it would be nice. I am pathetically begging here – hehe.


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